Friday, January 6, 2012

WG111v1 and Windows 7 x64

How to get old WG111v1 usb network adapter working in Windows 7 x64 since Netgear won't provide updated driver according to this message from Microsoft:
Address a problem with WG111v1
WG111v1 isn't compatible with this version of Windows.
Netgear Incorporated, the company that manufactured WG111v1, has informed Microsoft that they don't expect to offer updates to solve this problem.
To search for similar devices that are compatible with your version of Windows, go online to the Windows 7 Compatibility Center:
Windows 7 Compatibility Center
If you are running Windows 7, you might be able to install a Windows Vista driver in compatibility mode.
How to install a driver in compatibility mode
Right-click the driver installation program you saved to your desktop, click Troubleshoot compatibility, and then click Next.
In the Program Compatibility troubleshooter, click Troubleshoot program.
On the next screen, select The program worked in earlier versions of Windows but won't install or run now, and then click Next.
Select a version of Windows that is earlier than the one you are running, and then click Next.
When asked to test the program with the chosen compatibility settings, click Next. This will run the driver installation file in compatibility mode.
If you experience a problem with the driver installation program, click No, try again using different settings, and then choose compatibility settings for a different version of Windows.
If you don't experience a problem with the driver installation program, click Yes, save these settings for this program.
Follow the steps in the driver installation wizard to complete the installation.
What is compatibility mode?
Compatibility mode is a setting that can be applied to older programs that helps them run better in newer versions of Windows. If a program that was designed for an earlier version of Windows is running poorly, or not at all, running it in a mode that is compatible with an earlier version of Windows can correct or improve the program's performance.
Just download the prism drivers from this page and it will show up as prism 802.11 usb adapter and work just fine.